Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-05-03
IRISH CRIMES ACT AMENDMENT.
Speeches in Favor of and Against il
Made by Various Members OF Parlia.
ment.
LONDON. Nav ,,

LONDON, MAY :.
In the House of Commons, tonight. Hesly
moved that the first clause Of the crimes bill
be SO amended TO indicate clearly to what
portion of Ireland the bill would be applics.
BILE. He suggested tnat the words pro
claimed districts be omitted, and Kerry
Londonderry and Belfast" be inserted In their
stead.
Balfour, chief secretary for Ireland. de.
cined TO accede 10 this proposal He said
the government intend d to apply the clause
10 all parts of Ireland where the prevalence
OF crime justified such action.
Chamberlain also opposed the motion.
Gladstone suggested that the words pro
Claimed districts" remain, but that the dis.
tricts De defined under clauses. The answer
of Balfour that all the districts would be
treated impar,iallv was not sufficient, be-
cause the minister often referred to particular
parts of Ireland where the bill was meant
TO operate. No doubt the people of Belfast
regarded with disgust and horror the preva-
lence of disorder in their midst but the same
apolgy was equally good for the other dis
| tricts. The conduct of some persons
| IN Belfast had recently stat ed the name of
| Ireland more than the conduct of the people
of any other part of Ireland had.
| Lord Randolph Churchill said the sugges-
tion Mr.. Gladstone had made might have
been valuable, but its value had been de-
stroyed by the raising of points which were
| calculated to lead to controversy. Glad
stone had made himself party to the insin-
uatlon that the government intended TO ap-
| ply the clause only to certain parts of Ire.
land and leave Belfast out. There had been
disorder in Belfast but no one had been ar
rested. There was no analogy between the
riots in Belfast and the moonlighting in
Kerry, tor which not single person had
been made amenable to justice.
The amendment proposed by Hesey that
inquiry be held only when evidence had been
withheld on account of intimidation was re-
J cted by vote of 20G to 10, after discus
SION that lasted two hours and halt.
Healey then moved that the high court and
not the attorney general be empowered to
order an inquiry.
Gibson, solicitor ge- eral for Ireland. re-
piled that the government was unable TO ac-
cept the amendment.
Gladstone, rising to reply to the statement
by Mr.. Elliott hat he G ad-tone, was respon-
>ible for the equally strong system of five
years ago. said that Elliott overlooked an
essential difference, namely, his bill had
been directed against crime, while the one
nnder discussion was not. At least, he J.
ded, the present bill was directed against
acts that had not heretofore been considered
crimes.
Haldene. home rule liberal, prt posed to
substitute Judge" for 'high court and
Healy assented.
The discussion being continued w. II.
Smith, first lord of the treasury, amid cries of
"shame" moved to enforce the cloture rule
The motion was carried BY vote of 257 to
1876
Gladstone and other opposition leaders
walked slowly into the opposition lobby while
the Parnellites and Gladstonians stood cheer
ing wildly.
Heay's amendment was then rejected by
a vote of 26l to l42
Nolan moved to report the progress on the
bill.
w II. Smith said the government was un-
able to agree to this because only 9 of the
l40 amendments to the first clause had been
dispose of. Later, however, the progress
was reported.